Patent classifications
G01N2291/02881
Continuous sonic wave analyzer
A gas analyzer uses continuous sonic signals through a conduit to determine the composition of a gas in the conduit. A transmitting transducer drives sonic signals at a fixed frequency and a second transducer receives the sonic signals. The phase shift between two signals corresponds to the speed of sound through the gas and is related to the composition of the gas. The electronic versions of these signals are processed by lowering, or dividing, the fixed frequency which expands the range of phase shift measurement and allows the determination of an expanded range for the gas composition. In an ozone generation system, the gas analyzer is highly suitable for determining the composition of gases derived from air as a gas of known composition and a calibration point.
Liquid immersion sensor
A liquid immersion sensor for a mobile device with at least two acoustic transducers is described. The liquid immersion sensor may include a signal generator having a signal generator output configured to generate a signal for transmission via a first acoustic transducer, and a signal receiver having a signal receiver input configured to receive a delayed version of the generated signal via a second acoustic transducer. The signal receiver includes a signal receiver output. The liquid immersion sensor includes a controller having a first controller input for receiving a reference signal and a second controller input coupled to the signal receiver output. The controller determines a time lag value between the reference signal and the delayed signal and generates a control output signal dependent on the phase difference. The control output signal indicates if the mobile device is immersed in liquid.
Thermal flux sensor with heating nanofilaments
A heat flux sensor comprising: an array of nanofilaments suspended with respect to a support, each nanofilament comprising an electrically conducting material, the array being able to be biased by an electric power source to circulate an electric current in each of the nanofilaments, at least one resonator of the nanoelectro-mechanical system (NEMS) type comprising: a beam consisting of a nanofilament forming a side of the array, an actuation device able to generate a vibration of the beam under the effect of an excitation signal, a detection device configured to measure a displacement of the beam during the vibration and emit an output signal having a resonance at the resonant frequency of the resonator, the resonant frequency depending on the intensity of the electric current flowing through the beam, a temperature variation of the array of heating nanofilaments induced by a variation in a characteristic of a fluid surrounding the array causing an intensity variation of the current flowing through the beam resulting in a variation in the resonant frequency of the resonator.
Method for determining properties of a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture and device for the same
A method for determining properties of a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture includes determining a thermal conductivity value, density measurement, viscosity measurement, and temperature and pressure. The method also includes determining a hydrogen content of the gas mixture on the basis of the thermal conductivity value and the temperature and pressure, determining a density measurement and associated temperature and pressure, and determining the mean molar mass or standard density on the basis of the density measurement and the temperature and pressure. The method further includes determining the mean molar mass or standard density of a hydrogen-free residual gas mixture based on the mean molar mass or standard density and the hydrogen fraction, determining the Wobbe index of the residual gas mixture based on the viscosity measurement and the temperature and pressure, and determining a calorific value based on the mean molar mass or standard density and the Wobbe index.
Acoustic sensing systems, devices and methods
Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for touch, force and/or thermal sensing by an ultrasonic transceiver chip. In some aspects, an ultrasonic transceiver sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a CMOS layer attached to the substrate; an array of piezoelectric transducers coupled to the CMOS layer to generate ultrasonic pulses; and a contact layer attached to the substrate on a side opposite the substrate for providing a surface for contact with an object, where an ultrasonic pulse generated by a piezoelectric transducer propagates through the substrate and the contact layer, such that when the object is in contact with the surface of the contact layer, a reflected ultrasonic pulse is produced and propagates through the contact layer and the substrate to be received at the array of piezoelectric transducers, and the CMOS layer receive and process outputs from the piezoelectric transducers produced in response to the received reflected ultrasonic pulses.
Millimeter-wave and ultrasound sensors
A fluid mixture parameter determination (FMPD) system for analyzing a fluid mixture while moving includes a computing system and at least one material model that includes two or more model parameters for a plurality of material compositions stored in the memory. An ultrasonic sensor and a millimeter wave (MMW) sensor are each coupled to sense the fluid mixture and are coupled to the computing system. The ultrasonic sensor is for providing ultrasonic data to the computing system including a velocity of the fluid mixture or a volumetric flow, and a velocity of sound (VoS) through the fluid mixture. The MMW sensor is for providing MMW velocity data to the computing system. The computing system is for utilizing the material model together with the ultrasonic data and the MMW velocity data for identifying parameters including a plurality of components in the fluid mixture and a concentration for the plurality of components.
FIBER OPTIC INTERROGATION SYSTEM
A sensing optical fiber includes multiple waveguides or cores to allow sensing of multiple measurands using a single fiber. The fiber can be a dual clad fiber having a single mode core and a multi-mode core disposed radially or circumferentially about the single mode core. A dual clad fiber coupler couples source light from a DAS interrogator and a DTS interrogator into the dual clad fiber in use.
Grading a piston with deposits using thermal scan data
A method and system for grading pistons with deposits is disclosed. In an embodiment, a piston with an outer surface and deposits upon the outer surface is increased in temperature and thermally scanned. The deposits are identified based on the temperature differences measured with respect to the temperature of the outer surface of the piston. Deposit characteristics can be generated from the identified locations of deposits and the magnitude of temperature difference with respect to the outer surface. The deposit characteristics are recorded and used to grade the pistons.
Wireless temperature and humidity sensor and system, and measurement method
The present invention provides a wireless temperature and humidity sensor and system, and measurement method. The wireless temperature and humidity sensor comprises a substrate, a feeding network, an antenna and surface acoustic wave resonators, wherein the surface acoustic wave resonators are fed by said feeding network through said antenna. Said surface acoustic wave resonator comprises a reference resonator and measuring resonators. The resonant frequency difference between said reference resonator and said measuring resonators is used to modulate the temperature and/or humidity to be measured. Said system can monitor both temperature and humidity simultaneously, or monitor humidity or temperature selectively. Furthermore, frequency drift caused by aging of the sensor material and the connector is effectively suppressed by the differential modulation, thereby improving long-term stability of measurement and avoiding recalibration.
ACOUSTIC MONITORING DEVICE FOR FUEL QUALITY
Within the scope of the invention, a device for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has been developed. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The device is defined by the fact that means for determining the boiling point of the fuel are provided. Furthermore, a method for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has also been developed within the scope of the invention. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The method is defined by the fact that the boiling point of the fuel or a deviation of this boiling point from a normal value is measured. During the analysis of real injection pumps which have failed it has been detected that an excessively low boiling point of the fuel can cause the fuel to outgas. As a result, bubbles in which the necessary lubrication is no longer provided locally form in the injection pump. Furthermore, the lubricating effect is dependent on the fuel having a certain minimum viscosity. A low boiling point is also correlated with a low viscosity. Therefore, overall, the boiling point (initial boiling point, IBP) is a particularly good indicator especially of those deviations from standard values for the fuel which entail particularly costly damage.